1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to processes for preparing highly soluble and dispersible granular soup mixes containing starches. These mixes can be prepared to have the flavor of home-made soup. They can be easily prepared and served at the table by adding hot water to the mix, or boiling water. The product is referred to simply as granular potage hereafter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art relating to instant soup is highly developed, and many patents have issued that describe attempts to make rapidly soluble soups. For example, Canadian patent No. 591,010, granted Jan. 19, 1960, describes a powdered, precooked soup mix in the form of porous, agglomerated aggregates. U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,650, granted Mar. 18, 1969, teaches the desirability of regulating the particle size of instant soup mix solids, to insure proper hydration and to avoid the formation of lumps. While the teachings of these and other patents are of interest to food technologists, the instant soup products that are available to the public are not all that could be desired.
Powdered soup mixes that are now available on the market must be heated for several minutes with occasional stirring after being dispersed in cold or warm water. Unfortunately, they are apt to form lumps due to poor dispersion and poor hydration.
"Instant" soup mixes recently placed on the market also have the same disadvantage that lumps form and do not dissolve except after the lapse of a considerable time. Further, these products are deficient in taste, probably because the makers put priority on instant solubility. In this regard, they are far inferior to home-made soup.
With the object of removing these disadvantages, the inventors developed instantly dissolving granular potage mixes and processes for preparing them.